Compared with the estimated injury fatality rate for workers in all occupations (nine in 100,000 in 1988) the farm fatality rate (48 in 100,000) was among the highest in the nation ; in 1993, these rates were eight and 35 in 100,000, respectively.

On-road farm-vehicle fatalities have been identified as a significant problem, yet these events apparently have not been investigated in a comprehensive manner.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the circumstances surrounding all on-road, non-truck, farm-vehicle crash fatalities in the United States from 1988 through 1993.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatal Accident Reporting System, which includes data for all US fatal on-road motor vehicle crashes, was the source of data.

Driver-related variables were compared among farm vehicles, vehicles in collisions with farm vehicles, and all other vehicles in rural, fatal crashes ; environmental variables were compared between rural farm-vehicle and non farm-vehicle crashes.

During 1988 to 1993, in rural areas, 444 farm-vehicle occupants were killed ; in addition, 238 occupants of other vehicles or pedestrians were killed in collisions with the farm vehicles.

The farm vehicles were disproportionately involved in overturns, rear-end rollisions, and incidents in which the injured person fell from the vehicle, when compared with all other non-farm vehicles involved in rural-area fatal crashes. (...)